Hat construction

ABSTRACT

A size adjustable hat or cap has a generally round headpiece which covers a portion of the wearer&#39;s head, and a rear opening to allow the headpiece to be adjusted to fit the wearer&#39;s head. A decorative adjustment mechanism connected to the headpiece allows the rear opening to adjust the headpiece to fit the wearer&#39;s head. The headpiece adjustment is achieved with a sizing tie having two segments attached to lower edge of the headpiece. The sizing tie extends rearwardly of the headpiece and is adjusted by a tie lock which moves along the sizing tie to adjust the fit of the headpiece upon a wearer&#39;s head by adjusting the rear opening. The sizing tie is provided with a visually pleasing decorative design on is outside surface to establish the dual utilitarian and decorative role of the tie.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to hats or caps. More particularly this invention relates to hat or caps that are able to be adjusted in size to fit a wearer's head and also fulfill a decorative purpose as part of the adjustment arrangement.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] There has been an “explosion” in different types of headwear to be used by younger people, runners, athletes and those who are fashion conscious. Hats for every conceivable variety have been developed over the last several years; these have been seen on the streets, on running paths, at athletic events, etc.

[0005] It is quite common in the cap or hat field to have adjustable sizes, where different types of techniques are used to size the cap or hat to the wearer's head. Among prior art versions are those which include a buckle and strap, a collar and tab (snap), and Velcro (hook and loop material) straps.

[0006] All three utilize a cutout of the material at the back of the cap or hat extending from a point three inches above the headband down through approximately three inches of the headband itself. This cutout space is used to achieve the reduction and enlargement of the cap or hat size. All three devices consist of two parts to achieve closure, each part of which attaches to the headband and ends in the previously mentioned space at the back of the cap or hat. The three closure techniques all are aesthetically displeasing and two are clumsy to use and do not provide a firm fit—In addition, these devices are easily worn out and soon become dysfunctional Other than color and fabric variations and the addition of names and insignias little has changed in the basic aesthetics of this century old design.

[0007] The traditional buckle and strap and the collar and tab provide only approximate size adjustments. They are clumsy to operate. They wear out easily and lose whatever firm fit they may have offered originally. They are generally aesthetically unattractive.

[0008] The velcro straps do provide a more accurate sizing fit. They are easier to adjust. They do not wear out as quickly. They are, however, aesthetically displeasing because on all but the largest fit they leave a strap hanging out in space.

[0009] A fourth method for sizing a cap or hat provides a cord connected to the side of an arc shaped opening at the back to the hat or cap. A slide fastener is placed on the cord to allow the arc shaped opening to be opened and closed to adjust the size of the hat or cap. U.S. Design Pat. No. 365,917 (Armstrong), U.S. Design Pat. No. 406,687 Thorp. U.S. Design Pat. No. 357,792 (Cromer), U.S. Design Pat. No. 380,887 (Durdola) each show hats or caps being sized by cords attached through grommets, tabs, or fed into a facing structure of the cap or hat.

[0010] For more discussion of the fourth method of sizing a hat or cap, refer now to FIGS. 1a and 1 b. FIGS. 1a and 1 b are annotated reproductions of FIGS. 4 and 5 of Armstrong. FIG. 1a is the bottom plan view of FIG. 4 of Armstrong and FIG. 1b is the right side elevation view of FIG. 5 of Armstrong. Armstrong shows a baseball type cap having a headpiece 10 shaped hemispherically. An arc type cutout opening 35 of the headpiece 10 is used to size the headpiece 10 to fit a wearer's head. A bill or brim 20 is attached to the headpiece 10 at the peripheral edge of the headpiece 10 adjacent to the circular open bottom of the headpiece 10.

[0011] On the interior of the headpiece 10, at the peripheral edge adjacent to the open bottom of the headpiece 10, a facing 15 is attached to the headpiece 10 act essentially as a sweatband. Corded stringers 25 a and 25 b are threaded in a space between the facing 15 and the headpiece 10. The corded stringers 25 a and 25 b exit the facing 15 and the headpiece 10 at the juncture of the arc type cutout opening 35 and the open bottom of the headpiece 10 and have relatively long hanging corded string sections. The hanging corded string sections of the corded stringers 25 a and 25 b are passed through a beaded slider 30. The beaded slider 30 has cylindrical hole through which the corded stringers 25 a and 25 b pass that is sufficiently small so as to allow friction between the corded stingers 25 a and 25 b and the beaded slider 30 to prevent movement of the beaded slider 30. The arc type cutout opening 35 is adjusted by sliding the beaded slider on the corded stringers 25 a and 25 b.

[0012] Most of the corded sizing devices in the prior art employ a bead having a central cylindrical hollow opening through which the cord is passed. The cylindrical opening is sized such that the friction between the inner surface of the cylindrical hollow opening of the bead and the cord is sufficient to cause the cord to remain in place. An alternative to the bead with a cylindrical hollow opening is a spring-loaded cord fastener as illustrated by U.S. Pat. No. 5,666,699 (Takahashi), U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,505 (Anscher), and U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,948 (Bengtsson). The cord lock for gripping a cord, such as an elastic shock cord, includes a pair of telescoping members having holes through each. The telescoping members are biased so that their respective apertures are not aligned. The lock is loaded where the apertures are aligned for feeding a cord through the apertures. The lock is then release, which will cause the telescoping members to be urged to a position where their apertures are not aligned by the bias of the device, thereby pinching and locking the cord in place.

[0013] While all of these configurations provide some versatility in their adjustment mechanisms, none of them has recognized the opportunity to use the adjustment technique as a vehicle for displaying a pleasing decorative aspect that is visible to those who see the hat being worn.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An object of this invention is to provide a size adjustable hat or cap.

[0015] The hat has a headpiece approximately circular in shape, having a bottom opening such that the headpiece cover a portion of the wearer's head, and a side opening to allow the headpiece to be adjusted to fit the wearer's head. A decorative headpiece adjuster is connected to the headpiece to increase and decrease the side opening to adjust the headpiece to fit the wearer's head. The decorative headpiece adjuster has a sizing tie having two segments. The sizing tie is formed with a fabric having pleasing decoration and coloring, which can be imprinted with an attractive pattern or even an insignia of a sporting team or corporate entity to display membership in the group, Each segment of the sizing tie is attached to a surface of the headpiece adjacent to the bottom opening. The sizing tie becomes detached from the headpiece at a juncture of the bottom opening and the side opening. An adjustable tie lock is secured centrally to the sizing tie in proximity to two detaching points of the sizing tie from the headpiece. The adjustable tie lock moves along the sizing tie to adjust the fit of the headpiece upon a wearer's head by adjusting the side opening. Additionally, the hat may have a brim or visor attached to the headpiece at a front area of the headpiece.

[0016] The sizing tie may include two separate fabric sections separately secured to the headpiece and joined by the adjustable tie lock or the sizing tie is a single fabric section having two ends forming the two segments secured to the headpiece. The two segments are attached to an outside surface of the headpiece and act as a decorative hatband, thus fulfilling the inventive object of creating a pleasing external visual effect.

[0017] Normally, the side opening is placed at a rear area of the headpiece and the sizing tie is suspended from the hat at a back of the wearer's head.

[0018] The adjustable tie lock is a bead having a cylindrical hole through which two parts of the sizing tie pass. The cylindrical hole is sized to allow friction with the sizing tie in contact with an interior surface of the bead within the cylindrical hole to maintain the fit. An alternative to the bead for the tie lock is a cord lock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019]FIGS. 1a and 1 b respectively a bottom plan view and a right elevation view that illustrate a size adjustable hat or cap of the prior art.

[0020]FIG. 2 is a drawing of side view of a size adjustable cap or hat of this invention.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a drawing of front view of a size adjustable cap or hat of this invention.

[0022]FIG. 4 is a drawing of rear view of a size adjustable cap or hat of this invention.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a drawing of top view of a size adjustable cap or hat of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Refer now to FIGS. 2-5 for a discussion of the structure of the hat of this invention. The hat or cap of this invention has a headpiece 110 shaped hemispherically. The headpiece has a circular opening that fits over the wearer's head and has an arc type cutout opening 135 placed at the peripheral edge of the headpiece 110. The arc type cutout opening is used to size the headpiece 110 to fit a wearer's head. A bill or brim 120 is attached to the headpiece 110 at the peripheral edge of the headpiece 110 adjacent to the circular open bottom of the headpiece 110.

[0025] On the interior of the headpiece 110, at the peripheral edge adjacent to the open bottom of the headpiece 110, a headband rim 115 is attached to the headpiece 110 and acts essentially as a sweatband.

[0026] Decorative strips of fabric form headband stringers 125 a and 125 b with their trailing tails 125 c and 125 d. The headband stringers 125 a and 125 b are securely attached to the outside of the cap paralleling where the headband rim 115 on the inside and from the points where the outside of the brim 120 joins the cap to the juncture of the open bottom of the headpiece 110 and the arc type cutout opening 135. The trailing tails 125 c and 125 d of the headband stringers 125 a and 125 b are then extended to the rear of the hat or cap for a distance of approximately nine inches past the beginning of the arc type cutout opening 135.

[0027] The decorative strips of fabric that form the headband stringers 125 a and 125 b with their trailing tails 125 c and 125 d serve the dual function of manually adjusting the size and fit of the hat by adjusting the arc type cutout 135 and providing an opportunity for adding pleasing, unique decorative patterns and coloring to the hat. The decorative strips of fabric that form headband stringers 125 a and 125 b with their trailing tails 125 c and 125 d provide a pleasing flow of the fabric on the hat and down the back of the wearer. This offers decoration and coloring features not found in caps of the prior art. The decoration and coloring may be insignias for organizations, such as sporting teams or corporate entities, and will allow the hat to provide an identifying insignia for a group.

[0028] The trailing tails 125 c and 125 d of the headband stringers 125 a and 125 b are joined with a tie lock bead 130 with a dimensionally, appropriate interior hole to hold the trailing tails 125 c and 125 d of the headband stringers 125 a and 125 b firmly enough to permit easy and quick adjustment of the cap size by moving the bead up (reduction of cap size) or down (enlargement of cap size). The adjustment movements may be made easily with the cap on the head, thus guaranteeing a firm and comfortable fit.

[0029] The headband stringers 125 a and 125 b with their trailing tails 125 c and 125 d are shown as a single fabric piece where the segments of headband stringers 125 a and 125 b are the opposite ends of the single piece of fabric. However, it would be in keeping with the intent of this invention that the headband stringers 125 a and 125 b with their trailing tails 125 c and 125 d were formed of two separate piece of fabric that are secured by the tie lock bead 130.

[0030] It is further in keeping with the intent of this invention that the tie lock bead 130 were a locking device similar to those described above in Bengtsson, Takahashi, or Anscher.

[0031] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A hat adjustable to fit a wearer's head comprising: a headpiece approximately circular in shape, having a bottom opening such that said headpiece cover a portion of said wearer's head, and a side opening to allow said headpiece to be adjusted to fit the wearer's head; and a decorative headpiece adjuster connected on an external surface of said headpiece to increase and decrease said side opening to adjust said headpiece to fit said wearer's head, whereby said headpiece adjuster comprises: a sizing tie having two segments of said sizing tie attached to said external surface of said headpiece adjacent to said bottom opening and said sizing tie becoming detached from said headpiece at a juncture of the bottom opening and the side opening, whereby said sizing tie is a fabric having pleasing decoration and coloring, and an adjustable tie lock secured centrally to the sizing tie in proximity to two detaching points of the sizing tie from the headpiece, whereby the adjustable tie lock moves along the sizing tie to adjust the fit of the headpiece upon a wearer's head by adjusting said side opening.
 2. The hat of claim 1 wherein the sizing tie includes two separate fabric sections separately secured to said headpiece and joined by said adjustable tie lock.
 3. The hat of claim 1 wherein the sizing tie is a single fabric section having two ends forming the two segments secured to said headpiece.
 4. The hat of claim 1 wherein the two segments are attached to an outside surface of said headpiece and act as a decorative hatband to provide an identifying insignia.
 5. The hat of claim 1 wherein the side opening is placed at a rear area of said headpiece and said sizing tie is suspended from said hat at a back of said wearer's head.
 6. The hat of claim I further comprising a brim attached to said headpiece at a front area of said headpiece.
 7. The hat of claim 1 wherein the adjustable tie lock is a bead having a cylindrical hole through which two parts of said sizing tie pass, whereby said cylindrical hole is sized to allow friction with the sizing tie in contact with an interior surface of said bead within the cylindrical hole to maintain the fit.
 8. The hat of claim 1 wherein said the adjustable tie lock is a cord lock.
 9. A hat adjustable to fit a wearer's head comprising: a headpiece approximately circular in shape, having a bottom opening such that said headpiece covers a portion of said wearer's head, and a side opening to allow said headpiece to be adjusted to fit the wearer's head; and a decorative headpiece adjuster connected on an external surface to said headpiece to increase and decrease said side opening to adjust said headpiece to fit said wearer's head, whereby said decorative headpiece adjuster comprises: a sizing tie comprising two separate fabric sections individually attached to the external surface of said headpiece adjacent to said bottom opening and said fabric sections becoming detached from said headpiece at a juncture of the bottom opening and the side opening, whereby said sizing tie is a fabric having pleasing decoration and coloring, and an adjustable tie lock secured centrally to the two fabric sections of the sizing tie in proximity to two detaching points of the two fabric sections of the sizing tie from the headpiece, whereby the adjustable tie lock moves along the two fabric sections of the sizing tie to adjust the fit of the headpiece upon a wearer's head by adjusting said side opening.
 10. The hat of claim 9 wherein the two fabric sections are attached to an outside surface of said headpiece and act as a decorative hatband to provide an identifying insignia.
 11. The hat of claim 9 wherein the side opening is placed at a rear area of said headpiece and said sizing tie is suspended from said hat at a back of said wearer's head.
 12. The hat of claim 9 further comprising a brim attached to said headpiece at a front area of said headpiece.
 13. The hat of claim 9 wherein the adjustable tie lock is a bead having a cylindrical hole through which the two fabric sections of said sizing tie pass, whereby said cylindrical hole is sized to allow friction with the sizing tie tn contact with an interior surface of said bead within the cylindrical hole to maintain the fit.
 14. The hat of claim 9 wherein said the adjustable tie lock is a cord lock.
 15. A decorative hat adjuster to adjust a headpiece of a hat to fit a wearer's head, whereby the hat adjuster causes the headpiece to increase and decrease a side opening of said headpiece to adjust said headpiece to fit said wearer's head, said decorative headpiece adjuster comprising: a sizing tie having two segments of said sizing tie attached to an external surface of said headpiece adjacent to said bottom opening and said sizing tie becoming detached from said headpiece at a juncture of the bottom opening and the side opening, whereby said sizing tie is a fabric having pleasing decoration and coloring,; and an adjustable tie lock secured centrally to the sizing tie in proximity to two detaching points of the sizing tie from the headpiece, whereby the adjustable tie lock moves along the sizing tie to adjust the fit of the head piece upon a wearer's head by adjusting said side opening.
 16. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the sizing tie includes two separate fabric sections separately secured to said headpiece and joined by said adjustable tie lock.
 17. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the sizing tie is a single fabric section having two ends forming the two segments secured to said headpiece.
 18. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the two segments are attached to an outside surface of said headpiece and act as a decorative hat band to provide an identifying insignia.
 19. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the two segments are attached to an inside surface of said headpiece and act as a sweatband of said hat.
 20. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the side opening is placed at a rear area of said headpiece and said sizing tie is suspended from said hat at a back of said wearer's head.
 21. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein the adjustable tie lock is a bead having a cylindrical hole through which two parts of said sizing tie pass, whereby said cylindrical hole is sized to allow friction with the sizing tie in contact with an interior surface of said bead within the cylindrical hole to maintain the fit.
 22. The decorative hat adjuster of claim 15 wherein said adjustable tie lock is a cord lock. 